Wolves pay tribute to Diogo Jota
The former player who spent three seasons at the club has died in a car crash in Spain
Last updated 3rd Jul 2025
Wolves have paid tribute to Diogo Jota who has died along with his brother Andre following a car crash in north-western Spain.
In a statement the club say they are 'heartbroken' by the news.
More tributes from the football world and beyond flooded in for the father of three, who had married his long-term partner Rute Cardoso just 11 days ago.
The 28-year-old was a key player in Wolverhampton Wanderers' promotion to the Premier League after he signed for them on a one-season loan in 2017/18.
Jota then joined Wolves permanently in 2018 and impressed in the Premier League over the next two seasons, leading to Liverpool buying him in September 2020 for a fee of more than £40 million.
In a statement on the clubs' website Wolves said:
"Jota spent three seasons at Molineux having joined at the start of the Championship-winning 2017/18 season and was an incredibly popular member of the squad and loved by everyone at the club.
"During his time at Wolves, Jota made more than 130 appearances and, in his first season, was named top scorer as he helped guide the team to a remarkable promotion into the Premier League.
"Matt Wild, Wolves’ director of football operations & administration, who worked closely with Jota when he was at the club, said: 'We are all completely shocked. It’s such devastating news, not only for the passing of Diogo, which is just tragic enough, but to lose his brother as well.
'Leaving behind his wife, his three young children and the loss of his brother, it’s so difficult to comprehend. It’s just so sudden, it’s such a shock, and I think it will take a lot of us some time to process and come to terms with it.
'The impact he had at Wolves was huge. He was only here for three years, but what an important three years. To be part of that Championship winning squad that got us to the Premier League, then get us into Europe the following year, to being part of the European journey that we had.
'There are so many great times that all the people here – the fans, the players and the staff – have all experienced together and he was very much part of that. We’ll all be looking back on those memories today, the part he played in it and our time with him.
'Diogo embodied our values at the club. He was so humble, so kind, so professional, but yet determined and hungry. Everyone’s witnessed his progression throughout his career, from such a young age, to go to Liverpool at the age of 23 and go on to great success there, he’s won lots of trophies and it couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy'."
The statement continues:
"The memories he created at Molineux will never be forgotten and the thoughts of everyone at Wolves are with Rute, their children and Diogo and Andre’s loved ones at this devastating time".
Floral tributes are being left by the Billy Wright statue outside Molineux.
Liverpool said the club was "devastated" by the news and that it was an "unimaginable loss".
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said Jota's death was "devastating news" and "there are millions of Liverpool fans, but also football fans, and non-fans, who will also be shocked by this".
Fans leaving tributes to Diogo Jota
